Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Dec. 31, 2012

Schedule Of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation

The following table presents the principal reasons why the effective income tax rate differed from the statutory federal income tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012, and 2011:



	Ameren Missouri		Ameren Illinois		Ameren
2013
Statutory federal income tax rate:	35	%	35	%	35	%
Increases (decreases) from:
Depreciation differences	—		(1	)	—
Amortization of investment tax credit	(1	)	—		(1	)
State tax	3		6		4
Other permanent items^(a)	1		—		—
Effective income tax rate	38	%	40	%	38	%
2012
Statutory federal income tax rate:	35	%	35	%	35	%
Increases (decreases) from:
Depreciation differences	(1	)	—		(1	)
Amortization of investment tax credit	(1	)	(1	)	(1	)
State tax	3		6		5
Reserve for uncertain tax positions	1		—		—
Other permanent items^(a)	—		—		(1	)
Effective income tax rate	37	%	40	%	37	%
2011
Statutory federal income tax rate:	35	%	35	%	35	%
Increases (decreases) from:
Depreciation differences	(2	)	—		(1	)
Amortization of investment tax credit	(1	)	(1	)	(1	)
State tax	3		5		4
Reserve for uncertain tax positions	—		—		1
Tax credits	—		—		(1	)
Other permanent items^(a)	1		—		—
Effective income tax rate	36	%	39	%	37	%


(a)	Permanent items are treated differently for book and tax purposes and primarily include non-taxable income related to company-owned life insurance and deductions related to dividends on DRPlus and the 401(k) plan for Ameren, as well as nondeductible expenses related to lobbying and stock issuance costs for Ameren Missouri.

Schedule Of Components Of Income Tax Expense (Benefit)

The following table presents the components of income tax expense (benefit) for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012, and 2011:



	Ameren Missouri			Ameren Illinois			Other				Ameren^(a)
2013
Current taxes:
Federal	$	136		$	(15	)	$	(239	)	^(b)	$	(118	)
State	41			21			(43		)	^(b)	19
Deferred taxes:
Federal	64			99			205			^(b)	368
State	6			6			36			^(b)	48
Deferred investment tax credits, amortization	(5		)	(1		)	—				(6		)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	$	242		$	110		$	(41	)		$	311
2012
Current taxes:
Federal	$	(25	)	$	(7	)	$	72			$	40
State	(10		)	(3		)	23				10
Deferred taxes:
Federal	248			76			(120		)		204
State	44			30			(14		)		60
Deferred investment tax credits, amortization	(5		)	(2		)	—				(7		)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	$	252		$	94		$	(39	)		$	307
2011
Current taxes:
Federal	$	3		$	(24	)	$	15			$	(6	)
State	2			(4		)	—				(2		)
Deferred taxes:
Federal	129			123			(39		)		213
State	31			34			(10		)		55
Deferred investment tax credits, amortization	(4		)	(2		)	—				(6		)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	$	161		$	127		$	(34	)		$	254


(a)	Includes amounts for Ameren registrant and nonregistrant subsidiaries and intercompany eliminations.


(b)	These amounts are substantially related to the reversal of unrecognized tax benefits as a result of new IRS guidance related to the deductibility of expenditures to maintain, replace or improve steam or electric power generation property, along with casualty loss deductions for storm damage. They also reflect the increase in deferred tax expense due to available net operating losses.

Schedule Of Deferred Tax Assets And Liabilities Resulting From Temporary Differences

The following table presents the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities recorded as a result of temporary differences at December 31, 2013, and 2012:



	Ameren Missouri			Ameren Illinois			Other			Ameren^(a)
2013
Accumulated deferred income taxes, net liability (asset):
Plant related	$	2,513		$	1,243		$	13		$	3,769
Regulatory assets, net	74			2			—			76
Deferred employee benefit costs	(74		)	(85		)	(114		)	(273		)
Purchase accounting	—			(27		)	(1		)	(28		)
ARO	(7		)	1			—			(6		)
Other^(b)(c)	(17		)	(63		)	(398		)	(478		)
Total net accumulated deferred income tax liabilities (assets)^(d)	$	2,489		$	1,071		$	(500	)	$	3,060
2012
Accumulated deferred income taxes, net liability (asset):
Plant related	$	2,385		$	1,145		$	20		$	3,550
Regulatory assets, net	73			—			—			73
Deferred employee benefit costs	(84		)	(102		)	(137		)	(323		)
Purchase accounting	—			(27		)	(1		)	(28		)
ARO	(7		)	1			—			(6		)
Other^(b)	50			(77		)	(223		)	(250		)
Total net accumulated deferred income tax liabilities (assets)^(e)	$	2,417		$	940		$	(341	)	$	3,016


(a)	Includes amounts for Ameren registrant and nonregistrant subsidiaries and intercompany eliminations.


(b)	Includes deferred tax assets related to net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards detailed in the table below.


(c)	Includes total valuation allowances for Ameren, Ameren Missouri, and Ameren Illinois of $7 million, $1 million, and $1 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2013. The state valuation allowances are shown in the table below.


(d)	Includes $20 million recorded in "Other current assets" on Ameren Missouri's balance sheet as of December 31, 2013.


(e)	Includes $26 million recorded in "Other current assets" on Ameren Missouri's balance sheet as of December 31, 2012.

Schedule Of Net Operating Loss Carryforwards And Tax Credit Carryforwards

The following table presents the components of deferred tax assets relating to net operating loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards at December 31, 2013:



	Ameren Missouri			Ameren Illinois			Other			Ameren^(a)
Net operating loss carryforwards:
Federal^(b)	$	61		$	84		$	215		$	360
State^(c)	3			11			34			48
Total net operating loss carryforwards	$	64		$	95		$	249		$	408
Tax credit carryforwards:
Federal^(d)	$	12		$	—		$	76		$	88
State^(e)	1			1			32			34
State valuation allowance^(f)	(1		)	(1		)	(2		)	(4		)
Total tax credit carryforwards	$	12		$	—		$	106		$	118


(a)	Includes amounts for Ameren registrant and nonregistrant subsidiaries.


(b)	These will begin to expire in 2028.


(c)	These will begin to expire in 2017.


(d)	These will begin to expire in 2029.


(e)	These will begin to expire in 2014.


(f)	This balance increased by $2 million, $- million and $- million for Ameren, Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois, respectively, during 2013.

The following table presents the components of deferred tax assets relating to net operating loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards at December 31, 2012:



	Ameren Missouri			Ameren Illinois			Other		Ameren^(a)
Net operating loss carryforwards:
Federal^(b)	$	61		$	61		$	51	$	173
State^(c)	3			11			13		27
Total net operating loss carryforwards	$	64		$	72		$	64	$	200
Tax credit carryforwards:
Federal^(d)	$	11		$	—		$	75	$	86
State^(e)	1			1			23		25
State valuation allowance^(f)	(1		)	(1		)	—		(2		)
Total tax credit carryforwards	$	11		$	—		$	98	$	109


(a)	Includes amounts for Ameren registrant and nonregistrant subsidiaries.


(b)	These will begin to expire in 2028


(c)	These will begin to expire in2017.


(d)	These will begin to expire in 2029.


(e)	These began to expire in 2013.


(f)	This balance increased by $1 million, $- million and $1 million for Ameren, Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois, respectively, during 2012.

Schedule Of Changes To Unrecognized Tax Benefits And Related Interest

A reconciliation of the change in the unrecognized tax benefit balance during the years ended December 31, 2011, 2012, and 2013, is as follows:



	Ameren Missouri			Ameren Illinois			Other				Ameren^(a)
Unrecognized tax benefits – January 1, 2011	$	164		$	56		$	26			$	246
Increases based on tax positions prior to 2011	15			—			7				22
Decreases based on tax positions prior to 2011	(63		)	(41		)	(21		)		(125		)
Increases based on tax positions related to 2011	13			—			4				17
Changes related to settlements with taxing authorities	(5		)	(4		)	(1		)		(10		)
Decreases related to the lapse of statute of limitations	—			—			(2		)		(2		)
Unrecognized tax benefits – December 31, 2011	$	124		$	11		$	13			$	148
Increases based on tax positions prior to 2012	4			—			1				5
Decreases based on tax positions prior to 2012	(7		)	(1		)	(5		)		(13		)
Increases (decreases) based on tax positions related to 2012	15			3			(1		)		17
Changes related to settlements with taxing authorities	—			—			—				—
Decreases related to the lapse of statute of limitations	—			—			(1		)		(1		)
Unrecognized tax benefits – December 31, 2012	$	136		$	13		$	7			$	156
Increases based on tax positions prior to 2013	—			2			5				7
Decreases based on tax positions prior to 2013	(122		)	(16		)	(5		)		(143		)
Increases based on tax positions related to 2013	16			—			53			^(b)	69
Changes related to settlements with taxing authorities	—			—			—				—
Increases related to the lapse of statute of limitations	1			—			—				1
Unrecognized tax benefits (detriments) – December 31, 2013	$	31		$	(1	)	$	60			$	90
Total unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rates as of December 31, 2011	$	1		$	—		$	—			$	1
Total unrecognized tax benefits (detriments) that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rates as of December 31, 2012	$	3		$	(1	)	$	(1	)		$	1
Total unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rates as of December 31, 2013	$	3		$	—		$	51		^(b)	$	54

Reconciliation Of Changes In Liability For Interest On Unrecognized Tax Benefits

A reconciliation of the change in the liability for interest on unrecognized tax benefits during the years ended December 31, 2011, 2012, and 2013, is as follows:



	Ameren Missouri			Ameren Illinois			Other			Ameren^(a)
Liability for interest – January 1, 2011	$	10		$	2		$	5		$	17
Interest income for 2011	(3		)	(1		)	(7		)	(11		)
Interest payment	(1		)	—			—			(1		)
Liability for interest – December 31, 2011	$	6		$	1		$	(2	)	$	5
Interest charges (income) for 2012	2			—			(1		)	1
Liability for interest – December 31, 2012	$	8		$	1		$	(3	)	$	6
Interest charges (income) for 2013	(8		)	(1		)	4			(5		)
Liability for interest – December 31, 2013	$	—		$	—		$	1		$	1

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of tax positions taken in the tax returns filed or to be filed for which it is more likely than not that the tax position will not be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities (i.e., uncertain tax positions) and other types of income tax contingencies, including: (1) the policy on classification of interest and penalties; (2) a tabular reconciliation of the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits at the beginning and end of the period; the total amount(s) of: (3) unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate, and (4) interest and penalties recognized in each of the income statement and balance sheet; (5) for positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts unrecognized will significantly change within 12 months of the reporting date the: (i) nature of the uncertainty, (ii) nature of the event that could occur that would cause the change, and (iii) an estimate of the range of the reasonably possible change or a statement that an estimate of the range cannot be made; and (6) a description of tax years that remain subject to examination by major tax jurisdictions.

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